I read these three volumes back to back, so I decided to just do a combined review.
Title: Fables Vol. 9: Sons of Empire; Vol 10: The Good Prince; Vol. 11 War and Pieces
Author: Bill Willingham
Publisher: Vertigo 2007; 2008; 2008
Genre: Graphic Novel; Fantasy
Pages: 200; 240; 192
Rating: 5 / 5 stars
Reading Challenges: Fables Series
Collecting FABLES #52-59! Pinocchio suffers seriously divided loyalties between his father, the evil Adversary, and his fellow Fable refugees in New York. Plus, Bigby Wolf reluctantly decides it's finally time to square accounts with his long-estranged father, the North Wind, and makes a journey with Snow White and their kids to find him.
Collecting issues #60-69 of the hit series, collecting the epochal "Good Prince" storyline. Flycatcher is drawn into the spotlight as he discovers the startling truth about his own past as the Frog Prince. At the same time, he learns that the Adversary plans to destroy his foes once and for all. How can the meek Flycatcher stop this deadly foe?
The final battle between the free Fables of the mundane world and the Empire occupying their former Homelands is about to begin, and the scrappy storybook heroes have already managed to even the odds considerably. With his previously unstoppable wooden soldiers neutralized, the Adversary is about to get his first taste of high technology in the form of steel-jacketed bullets and laser-guided bombs. But the ruler who conquered a hundred different worlds didn’t do it by fighting clean—and he’s still got a surprise or two left to spring on the residents of Fabletown.
I continue to devour these volumes, much as Bigby devours a huge store of meat. I love the story lines. Willingham has taken all the old fairy tales and put his own spin on them. I love the characters. Blue has become a recent favorite, but I continue to love Cinderella and Flycatcher and Snow White and Bigby, and really of them. I love the paintings. Each cell is intricately drawn. But also we get panels along the top and sides. Very intriguing and eye-catching. I am very happy with how they handled the war with the Adversary. There were enough twists and twins in there to keep me engaged throughout. I love the strategies each side tried to varying successes. The only thing I am sad about is the loss of Prince Charming. He was such a fun character! I hope he's not permanently lost.
This series has officially become an epic. And now it's come to an end. Well, not really. The war has come ot an end by there are many stories left to tell. Unfortunately I again have to wait for the library for the next volume. I'm hoping they get it marked for holds on Tuesday so I can pick it up on my lunch hour. But I have to restrain myself and keep some of the already published volumes for my Fables Reading Challenge for next year.
Fables:
